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Thunder, Lightning, and a Budget..

However improbable it was to have a rainstorm in late June in Sacramento, it’s not as unique as a budget passed before the end of the fiscal year. Yet tonight, the California Legislature on its way to passing a budget for the Governor’s signature.

It’s not a pretty budget: The Senate calculates a total of $14.6 billion in real cuts (NOT including another $2.5 billion in potential “trigger” cuts that would occur if revenue projections fall short). They say they have reduced the on-going structural deficit that was $26.65 billion in January by 75%. Overall General Fund expenditures for the 2011-12 fiscal year are $85.960 billion. That compares to current year 2010-11 expenditures of $91.480 billion.

An additional $2.5 billion in reduced expenditures could occur if they are triggered by a shortfall in anticipated revenue. The cuts in health and human services that could be triggered include $100 million in cuts to services for the developmentally disabled and $100 million in cuts to IHSS, with other cuts as well.